Generally, when a user of a computer wants to install a program, the user manually seeks out relevant installation files, typically online or through removable storage media such as a CD-ROM, and executes the files. Alternatively, a program may actively offer software, and the relevant installation files, directly to a user. For example, many programs have updating functionalities capable of reporting a currently installed version of the program to an online server, and if the version is out-of-date, suggesting that the user install the new version. Such a program will often provide a link to the necessary files. Additionally, organizations often implement an installation manager to provide both software and updates. An installation manager can suggest programs and updates to install based upon programs in a repository for installation and based upon programs that are currently installed, such as non-current versions of programs.
Once an installation process has begun, many installation routines provide a “standard” installation offering a selected set of features, a “full” installation offering all possible features, and a “custom” installation allowing a user to select the features the user desires installed.